Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Today’s gingerbread cake recipe is from my friend Katy who originally got it from Epicurious a D. Lebovitz book. Once I match this recipe with the original, I will provide a link so that you can read the Epicurious reviews as well.

Here’s Katy’s version of the recipe, which she says is just as good with vanilla or cream cheese frosting as it is with crème anglaise. I opted for frosting and loved it, but the cake is would be excellent with just a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

This was extremely easy to make and were it not for the frosting, I could have prepared the entire recipe with just a bowl and mixing spoon. The ingredient list is simple, but the technique used is a bit different. For instance, baking soda is dissolved in water and eggs are added last. Also, I made mine without the fresh ginger or crystallized ginger and it was still excellent. Just be prepared for a very deep, dark cake. It almost looks like chocolate.

Comments

I just made this as my birthday cake because I’ve been dying to try it. I’ve apparently contracted dyslexia from my son because I totally misread the directions. As a result, the texture of mine is …weird. BUT the flavor is fabulous. I really like the crystallized ginger. I subbed lemon extract for vanilla in the icing, since my mom always served gingerbread wiht lemon custard. I like it 🙂

I made a gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting this week too. I cheated and used a box mix from Trader Joe’s. It was really good. My frosting was homemade and a little runny. I guess I’ll add more sugar next time. I piped the frosting on top of the cake and even though it was very messy the girls were impressed and thought it looked very professional.

This cake reminds me of one I just saw in the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It’s called a pumpkin sandwich cake. It looks WONDERFUL! I just checked, and you can get the recipe on BHG.com if you give them a bit of information.
Check it out!

This is the time of year I most associate with gingerbread. Not the holidays, but Fall, when the leaves in New England turn red and now brown — the same color as the gingerbread — and the aroma of ginger and cinnamon seems to be in the air.

Anna,
Just to give credit where it’s due, the recipe was never on Epicurious. It’s a David Lebovitz original from his book “Room for Dessert” The Epicurious recipe I referred to was a similar one made with stout from Claudia Fleming. I’m so glad you liked it!

S, thanks for asking that question because I learned a thing or two in researching the answer!

Treacle is just a word for “syrup” and there are different types. The lightest is golden syrup, mid-range would be equal to mild molasses and the darkest would be the sulpured type and definitely not what you’d want to use here. I think in the UK they call mild molasses “fancy molasses”.

I am not very familiar with European brands of treacle/molasses, but I think the most common type treacle and what you’d buy at the store would be the same as American molasses. Maybe someone who uses treacle could pop in and let us know a good brand.

Megan, that’s a great idea. I will start by adding a category and populating it with recipes Fuzz and her friends truly loved.

Kim, it freezes great! I froze a piece and thawed it. Loved the results.

Hey–I’m always lurking to get great ideas. My daughter has a halloween party coming up, which made me think that it would be great if there was a section of Fuzz’s favorites. Seems like kids and adults totally don’t agree on what’s good, so I’d love some “Fuzz-tested” ideas as go-to’s for those times you have to make something for the pickiest of all audiences–kids! Think you and Fuzz would be up for something like that?